


I Think We're Gonna Make It Through This Crazy Life

by HallsofStone2941



Series: Crazy Life [8]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Family, Family Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Lighthearted, Little bit of angst, Multi, Not Beta Read, One Big Happy Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-03
Updated: 2014-08-03
Packaged: 2018-02-11 15:54:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2074140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HallsofStone2941/pseuds/HallsofStone2941
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle sips her red wine and meets Thorin's eyes over the rim of her glass. He dips his head, almost invisibly, and she offers him a small smile. The reunion is for him, a family gathering organized to celebrate the opening of his store – Oakenshield Books – and put everyone back together again. It is slightly bittersweet for him, she knows; the entire family has not been together like this since the fall of Arkenstone Jewelers, and some faces are, and always will be, painfully absent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Think We're Gonna Make It Through This Crazy Life

**Author's Note:**

> So after much debating and agonizing and worrying about it being a distraction: *sings* I got a tumblr, I got a tumblr.
> 
> Yeah. Still not sure what I was thinking.
> 
> But, it's pretty awesome (though still fairly new, and I don't know how much original stuff I will post on it): hallsofstone2941.tumblr.com

“—and then he tried to use the ladder as a shield!” Dis can barely get the words out behind her cackling, and the room erupts in laughter while Kili tries to look disgruntled. His lips are twitching, though, which somewhat ruins the effect.

“Hey, at least I never tried to hide in some ship cargo for a silly game,” Kili points out, smirking. “Want an apple, Fee?”

Fili groans and turns his head away from the nonexistent apple in Kili's hand. “Shut up.”

More chuckles resonate throughout the room, ranging from Belle's pealing laughter to Thorin's low, rumbling chuckle. His smiles have become more and more frequent over the years, transforming his face and forever ruining his reputation as “The Brooder”.

His other reputation – The Stalker, which he received once Fili recognized him as the peeping Tom from one childhood Christmas – will go with him to the grave, much to his exasperation. Despite being a darkened time in his life, the Durin family managed to turn that story into a happy, and funny, one as well.

Dain's house – the only one big enough to host so many people – is filled with the sounds of music playing softly in the background, chatter and laughter coming from the hungry occupants, and the sound of meat grilling on the barbeque. The stories continue, often told at the expense of the younger generation. Kili and Fili try to terrorize Gimli about college, only to be smacked in the heads by Thorin and Dis. Belle laughs and bears Balin's stories of her own childhood, recognizing a good tale when she hears it. Dwalin sometimes shouts commentary through the window screen while he cooks the hamburgers, a ridiculous chef's hat stretched over his (large) bald head. The group snickers occasionally at the sight, but says nothing, for fear of Dwalin's threat - “One word, and no food for you”.

Belle sips her red wine and meets Thorin's eyes over the rim of her glass. He dips his head, almost invisibly, and she offers him a small smile. The reunion is for him, a family gathering organized to celebrate the opening of his store – Oakenshield Books – and put everyone back together again. It is slightly bittersweet for him, she knows; the entire family has not been together like this since the fall of Arkenstone Jewelers, and some faces are, and always will be, painfully absent.

She would have liked to meet them, she thinks – Frerin and Thrain and Groin and Fundin and Thala and Nain; maybe even Thror. But there are new faces as well; the next generation, like a pheonix grown out of the ashes of the desolation of Smaug: Fili and Kili, Gimli and little-Thorin – and her, of course. Where would she be, if Arkenstone had not fallen? If Fundin had not moved his family, died, and been buried in the cemetery near her little cardboard box in the alley? Dead, most likely. Dead, and never having met Balin and Dwalin, or helping Thorin, or bouncing little-Thorin on her lap to hear him giggle while she listens to Gloin reiterate his truly spectacular failures in attempting to woo his wife.

Gimli still looks unnerved by Fili and Kili's college horror stories. She wants to reassure him, but what can she say? College is fun, yes, but difficult, too – even if one stays on the right path. The same can be said of life. She herself has only just started working towards her teaching degree, nearly ten years after she planned to. Fili is still struggling to keep his income higher than his expenses, and Kili's natural desire to party has Dis and Kilan keeping a close eye on him. Gimli is only just understanding the difficulties of adulthood, and little-Thorin still has to learn.

Some days will be like this – fun and lighthearted, surrounded by family and friends. Others will be like the storm she and Thorin had once found themselves in, covering their books with their bodies and taking shelter beneath the giant oak tree that stands in front of what is now Thorin's own business. And some days they will not have a tree to hide under, or a friend standing next to them. But they will learn, in time, to appreciate the good days, and to weather through the bad. And, if all else fails, they can turn to any one of the people sitting in this house today without fear of judgment or rejection.

_Yes_ , Belle concludes, _I think we'll all be alright_ .

**Author's Note:**

> And, that's all, folks! The series is finally over (unless I, at some point in the distant future, come up with anything else. I wouldn't count on it, if I were you). The whole point of this storyline was to introduce this wonderful song done by a country a capella group (that won Season 4 of the Sing-Off) - seriously, you should check them out, even if you don't like country. They're amazing.
> 
> Soundtrack:  
> Crazy Life by Home Free


End file.
